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Roster turnover is a leading topic for discussion in Seattle following the release of T.J. Houshmandzadeh in particular.

I've addressed the subject in depth across the division -- first May 26 and again July 30 -- and it's worth another look now that teams have reduced to 53 players for the regular season.

This time, I'm going to break down the changes by position, listing players no longer on the active roster at each main position group (with new players in parenthesis). Departures outnumber replacements because some players finished last season on injured reserve, meaning they were not part of the 53-man roster.

Some players no longer on the active roster remain with the team (they could be suspended, deemed physically unable to perform or part of the practice squad).

St. Louis Rams (34 off roster)

Defensive back: Eric Bassey, Quincy Butler, Danny Gorrer, Clinton Hart, Cordelius Parks, David Roach, Jonathan Wade (added Kevin Dockery, Jerome Murphy, Darian Stewart)

Defensive line: Victor Adeyanju, Adam Carriker, Leger Douzable, Leonard Little, LaJuan Ramsey, James Wyche (added Jermelle Cudjo, Fred Robbins, George Selvie, Eugene Sims)

Linebacker: K.C. Asiodu, Paris Lenon (added Na'il Diggs, Josh Hull)

Offensive line: Roger Allen, Alex Barron, Ryan McKee, Mark Setterstrom, Phillip Trautwein, Eric Young (added Renardo Foster, Hank Fraley, Rodger Saffold)

Quarterback: Kyle Boller, Marc Bulger, Keith Null, Mike Reilly (added Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley, Thaddeus Lewis)

Running back: Samkon Gado, Chris Ogbonnaya (added Keith Toston)

Special teams: Ryan Neill

Tight end: Randy McMichael (added Mike Hoomanawanui, Fendi Onobun)

Wide receiver: Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton, Brooks Foster, Jordan Kent, Ruvell Martin (added Mark Clayton, Dominique Curry, Mardy Gilyard)

---

Seattle Seahawks (33 off roster)

Defensive back: Jamar Adams, Deon Grant, Ken Lucas, Josh Wilson (added Kam Chancellor, Kennard Cox, Nate Ness, Earl Thomas, Walter Thurmond)

Defensive line: Lawrence Jackson, Patrick Kerney, Cory Redding, Nick Reed, Darryl Tapp, Craig Terrill (added Kentwan Balmer, Raheem Brock, Chris Clemons, Dexter Davis, Junior Siavii, E.J. Wilson)

Linebacker: Leroy Hill, Lance Laury, D.D. Lewis (added Matt McCoy; note that Hill is suspended for the first regular-season game)

Offensive line: Trevor Canfield, Brandon Frye, Walter Jones, Damion McIntosh, Rob Sims, Steve Vallos, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto (added Stacy Andrews, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Ben Hamilton, Russell Okung, Chester Pitts, Tyler Polumbus)

Quarterback: Mike Teel, Seneca Wallace (added Charlie Whitehurst)

Running back: Justin Griffith, Louis Rankin, Tyler Roehl, Owen Schmitt (added Quinton Ganther, Michael Robinson, Leon Washington)

Special teams: Kevin Houser, Jeff Robinson (added Clint Gresham)

Tight end: John Owens (added Chris Baker, Anthony McCoy)

Wide receiver: Nate Burleson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh (added Golden Tate, Mike Williams)

---

Arizona Cardinals (24 off roster)

Defensive backs: Ralph Brown, Bryant McFadden, Antrel Rolle (added A.J. Jefferson, Trumaine McBride, Brandon McDonald, Kerry Rhodes)

Defensive line: Jason Banks (added Dan Williams)

Linebacker: Monty Beisel, Bertrand Berry, Cody Brown, Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Chike Okeafor, Pago Togafau (added Paris Lenon, Cyril Obiozor, Joey Porter, Daryl Washington; Hayes can return from the physically unable to perform list after six games)

Offensive line: Mike Gandy, Herman Johnson, Reggie Wells (added Alan Faneca, Rex Hadnot)

Quarterback: Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre, Kurt Warner (added Derek Anderson, Max Hall, John Skelton)

Running back: Justin Green, Dan Kreider (added Jerome Johnson)

Special teams: Neil Rackers (added Jay Feely)

Tight end: Anthony Becht (added Jim Dray)

Wide receiver: Anquan Boldin, Sean Morey, Jerheme Urban (added Andre Roberts, Stephen Williams)

---

San Francisco 49ers (24 off roster)

Defensive backs: Dre' Bly, Walt Harris, Marcus Hudson, Mark Roman (added Phillip Adams, Tramaine Brock, William James, Taylor Mays)

Defensive line: Kentwan Balmer, Derek Walker

Linebacker: Scott McKillop, Jeff Ulbrich, Matt Wilhelm (added NaVorro Bowman, Travis LaBoy)

Offensive line: Tony Pashos, Chris Patrick, Cody Wallace (added Alex Boone, Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati)

Quarterback: Nate Davis, Shaun Hill (added David Carr, Troy Smith)

Running back: Thomas Clayton, Glen Coffee, Brit Miller, Michael Robinson (added Anthony Dixon, Brian Westbrook)

Special teams: Shane Andrus, Ricky Schmitt

Wide receiver: Arnaz Battle, Isaac Bruce, Jason Hill, Brandon Jones (added Ted Ginn Jr., Kyle Williams, Dominique Zeigler)

---

The first chart shows how many players are back -- at least for now -- from Week 17 rosters and injured reserve lists. Seattle has the fewest number back with 26.

The second chart shows how many players each team has shed since Week 17 last season. This counts players who were on injured reserve. Teams with lots of players on injured reserve had more players to lose.

KTAR radio's Doug Franz and Ron Wolfley just finished grilling me medium rare over the far-flung (to them) notion that the San Francisco 49ers should be favored in the NFC West this season.

They think the 49ers face at least as many questions as the Arizona Cardinals, from Alex Smith's abilities as a starting quarterback to the effects of playing two rookies on the offensive line.

Our conversation pointed to something I wrestle with all the time: perception vs. reality.

Sometimes those perceptions get out of hand. It could be happening in the NFC West right now. A few things to consider along those lines heading into the regular season:

• The Seattle Seahawks are taking flak for dumping T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Josh Wilson and others (Rob Sims and Nate Burleson come to mind) during an ongoing roster overhaul. It's fair to ask whether all the changes were necessary. It's fair to question whether Seattle might fall off some in the immediate term while less experienced players take over. But why pretend as though the Seahawks needed only some fine-tuning? They needed an overhaul and they're getting one. Sometimes a team gets a little worse before it gets better. But if you honestly assess each roster change, you might find more upgrades than downgrades. How much will this really team miss Ken Lucas, Cory Redding, Justin Griffith, D.D. Lewis, Damion McIntosh, Owen Schmitt, Mansfield Wrotto, Lawrence Jackson, John Owens, Darryl Tapp, Deon Grant, Lance Laury and the others? It's tough to argue that those players were part of the solution.
• The Cardinals are worse off without Kurt Warner. That much is a given. But should recent instability at quarterback significantly lower those already reduced expectations for the upcoming season? It's probably better to rule out Matt Leinart now than to do so four or five games into the regular season. Quarterback was already a concern. It's still a concern. But let's not pretend the 49ers are dramatically better off with Smith under center. I'm favoring the 49ers in the division because they're the safest bet following an offseason without much roster turnover. They appear slightly better than the team that went 8-8 in 2009. But it's no shock if the Cardinals win this division. I'd call it only a mild surprise.
• The Rams are easy to write off with a rookie quarterback under center and only six wins over the last three seasons. It's not the upset of the century, however, if they find a way to prevail in Week 1. They trailed the Cardinals 21-3 at halftime in the Edward Jones Dome last season. A concussion prevented Warner from returning. Final score: 21-13. If you're the Rams and you know Warner won't be there Sunday, and you know Marc Bulger posted a 57.8 rating as your quarterback in that 21-13 defeat, you're thinking you've got a chance this time around, right? Right.
• About those 49ers. Let's not get carried away with the 12-4 predictions, OK? One step at a time. The 49ers were 5-1 in the division last season. Are they really going to match that record or improve upon it and then add three more victories outside the NFC West? It's possible with AFC West teams on the schedule, but the 49ers have only seven true home games this season. Two of those are against New Orleans and Philadelphia. They play road games against Atlanta, Green Bay and San Diego. Find a dozen sure victories on that schedule and I'm guessing you're a 49ers fan.

To be continued in the comments section, and beyond.

The Seattle-Detroit pipeline keeps pumping, albeit with less-than-spectacular results this time.

The latest move between the teams is particularly chuckle-worthy (surely there must be some reason these teams keep hooking up, but I can't find any hard ties). The Lions recently won a waiver-claim battle with Seattle over former Denver Broncos offensive lineman Tyler Polumbus. The Lions held Polumbus for a few days, then traded him to the Seahawks, presumably for something of minimal or even conditional value. Polumbus and Seahawks offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates were with the Broncos in 2008.

The Seahawks and Lions have made multiple trades and shared multiple players spanning multiple coaching staffs and front offices in recent years.

Among the players to spend time on both rosters: Polumbus, Nate Burleson, Will Heller, Rob Sims, Lawrence Jackson, Maurice Morris, Julian Peterson, Trevor Canfield, Marquand Manuel, Kole Heckendorf, Kevin Hobbs, Logan Payne, Chuck Darby, Keary Colbert, Billy McMullen, Travis Fisher, Cory Redding, John Owens, Jon Kitna (OK, not recently in Seattle), Joel Filani, T.J. Duckett, Kevin Kasper, Ike Charlton (again, not recently in Seattle), Etric Pruitt, Mike Williams and probably a few others.

The earlier item quantifying NFL roster turnover since last season ranks the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals among the three teams with the most changes.

Some of the research used for that project shows up in the latest version of the anabolically enhanced rosters found here periodically. Specifically, the 26th and final column shows which players were starters, backups or on injured reserve for NFC West teams in Week 17 last season.

Download the rosters here.

The column showing player ages makes it easy to see how roster attrition affects older players. I'll list below the players currently 30 or older who have been released, traded, announced their retirements or were not re-signed as unrestricted free agents since last season:

Seattle Seahawks (9)

Patrick Kerney, Walter Jones, John Owens, Deon Grant, Ken Lucas, Kevin Houser, Jeff Robinson, D.D. Lewis, Damion McIntosh

Note: The team added 30-plus vets Sean Morey, Ben Hamilton and Chris Baker.

Arizona Cardinals (9)

Kurt Warner, Chike Okeafor, Mike Gandy, Bertrand Berry, Neil Rackers, Morey, Brian St. Pierre, Ralph Brown, Dan Kreider,

Note: The team added 30-plus vets Jay Feely, Paris Lenon, Joey Porter and Alan Faneca.

San Francisco 49ers (6)

Shaun Hill, Arnaz Battle, Mark Roman, Walt Harris, Dre' Bly, Jeff Ulbrich

Note: The team added 30-plus vets David Carr and William James. In looking at the chart, note that receiver Isaac Bruce, 37, is still on the 49ers' roster for the time being.

St. Louis Rams (5)

Leonard Little, Marc Bulger, Lenon, Clinton Hart, Randy McMichael

Note: The team added 30-plus vets A.J. Feeley, Na'il Diggs, Hank Fraley and Fred Robbins.

Bad teams aren't the only ones churning their rosters during the offseason.

The defending NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals have parted with 15 of the 53 players on their Week 17 roster from last season. Only the rebuilding Seahawks have parted with more -- 16 -- among division teams this offseason. The Rams have parted with 11. The 49ers, seeking continuity as they try to build on an 8-8 season, have parted with only three.

The first chart shows how many Week 17 starters and backups have returned to each NFC West team.

The second chart shows how many Week 17 starters and backups have left each NFC West team.

I'll first list the players by team.

Seattle (16): receiver Nate Burleson, quarterback Seneca Wallace, linebacker Lance Laury, defensive end Cory Redding, guard Trevor Canfield, quarterback Mike Teel, tackle Damion McIntosh, linebacker D.D. Lewis, snapper Jeff Robinson, fullback Justin Griffith, cornerback Ken Lucas, safety Deon Grant, defensive end Darryl Tapp, guard Rob Sims, tight end John Owens and defensive end Patrick Kerney.

Arizona (15): linebacker Pago Togafau, safety Antrel Rolle, receiver Jerheme Urban, receiver Sean Morey, kicker Neil Rackers, linebacker Bertrand Berry, fullback Dan Kreider, cornerback Ralph Brown, quarterback Brian St. Pierre, defensive end Jason Banks, receiver Anquan Boldin, linebacker Karlos Dansby, quarterback Kurt Warner, cornerback Bryant McFadden and linebacker Chike Okeafor. Note that Rolle did not start in Week 17.

St. Louis (11): defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey, cornerback Jonathan Wade, receiver Ruvell Martin, quarterback Mike Reilly, defensive end Leonard Little, safety Clinton Hart, snapper Ryan Neill, running back Samkon Gado, linebacker Paris Lenon, tackle Alex Barron and tight end Randy McMichael.

San Francisco (5): receiver Arnaz Battle, cornerback Marcus Hudson, quarterback Shaun Hill, safety Mark Roman and cornerback Dre Bly.

The third chart shows what happened to players who were on injured reserve in Week 17.

I'll first list by team the players who were on IR but are no longer with their teams.

San Francisco (5): tackle Tony Pashos, punter Ricky Schmitt, linebacker Jeff Ulbrich, cornerback Walt Harris and running back Thomas Clayton.

Seattle (4): running back Tyler Roehl, tackle Walter Jones, snapper Kevin Houser and tackle Brandon Frye.

St. Louis (3): quarterback Marc Bulger, defensive tackle Adam Carriker and safety Eric Bassey.

Arizona (2): tackle Mike Gandy and fullback Justin Green.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers advice to the Rams in their handling of likely first-round choice Sam Bradford. He thinks offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, not quarterbacks coach Dick Curl, should be the one overseeing Bradford's development. Miklasz: "This is crucial. I realize that QBs coach Dick Curl is Coach Spagnuolo's friend; Spags served on Curl's staff in the old NFL Europe. But developing quarterbacks isn't Curl's area of expertise. So reassign him. There's no shame in that. Dick Vermeil had two guys on his staff (Mike White, Lynn Stiles) who helped him in a variety of ways behind the scenes. Likewise, Curl can serve as an all-purpose confidant for Spagnuolo. But the Rams can't have Curl in the middle of a vitally important working relationship between Shurmur and Bradford."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says most trade rumors involving the Rams have been off-base. Thomas: "Of all the (mostly) ridiculous trade rumors involving the Rams this offseason, the only one that I haven't heard (general manager Billy) Devaney deny was the (Adam) Carriker-to-Washington rumor. But I don't think Carriker would fetch much in a trade -- after all, he didn't play at all last season and is coming off shoulder surgery. As for the second-round pick, I think the Rams will get some calls on the pick, since teams will have an entire day to think about it and readjust their boards."

Also from Thomas: Leonard Little doesn't have much going; no surprise with the draft so near. Also, the Rams' long-anticipated signing of Na'il Diggs is all but done.

Howard Balzer of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat says it's unclear whether Diggs will play weak or strong side.

John Niyo of the Detroit News quotes former Seahawks guard Rob Sims as saying Detroit is more of a football town than Seattle. Sims, who played at Ohio State: "This is a football town. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit. I mean, that's football. Football and cars. This is more of what I'm accustomed to. Out there (in Seattle), the stars are Bill Gates and Paul Allen and the people that run Boeing. This here is what being in the NFL is supposed to be about, (standing) up here at the mic talking to reporters and stuff. In Seattle, it's not like that. It's drinking coffee, sittin' down and chit-chatting. This is a change, but it's a change that I've been looking forward to." Sims surely felt unwanted in Seattle and it had to mystify him. His comments were probably made out of frustration. The comment about the NFL being about standing at microphones and talking to reporters? Hmmmm. We already knew Seattle's line coach, Alex Gibbs, didn't think Sims fit into his zone-blocking scheme. Gibbs is also media-averse, and his linemen in Denver were known for refusing to speak with reporters.

Brian McIntyre of scout.com says the Seahawks want their tight ends to threaten defenses in the passing game, one reason John Owens' release should not come as a surprise.

John Morgan of Field Gulls takes inventory at receiver for Seattle, concluding the position is one of significant need.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic checks in with new Cardinals kicker Jay Feely, who reported for work Monday. Somers: "Feely's contract with the Cardinals is worth $3.5 million, including a $500,000 roster bonus and a $1 million salary this year. In 2011, he is due to make $1.75 million with a $250,000 bonus for attending off-season workouts." Also: Matt Ware's re-signing is official.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says cornerback Michael Adams is helping teammates get acclimated to the offseason program, a role former teammate Ralph Brown often played. Adams: "Ralph always would explain why were doing it. If I can learn something from Ralph, someone can learn something from me, that person can teach someone else, it’s an ongoing cycle and we keep getting pretty good players."

Also from Urban: New Cardinals linebacker Paris Lenon comes from a line of Paris Lenons. His grandfather, father and son share the name. Urban: "The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder fit best when he played his first four seasons in Green Bay (his past four seasons were with the Lions for three before going to the Rams in 2009)."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee thinks the 49ers will select Anthony Davis at No. 13 if the offensive tackle remains available. Also: "As for (Donovan) McNabb, many writers and NFL observers wondered why the 49ers never entered the No. 5 sweepstakes. I think the overarching reason is that the Alex Smith experiment is five years in the making and, by golly, they're going to see it to the end. To state right now that they made a colossal mistake would be folly. But with Smith entering the final year of his contract, we ought to know the answer by January."

Howard Mintz of the San Jose Mercury News updates the 49ers' efforts to build a stadium in Santa Clara. One of the affected parties could renew concerns.

NFL teams hardly make a move without tapping into some sort of connection.

The Seahawks' agreement with Patriots castoff Chris Baker fits the profile.

Baker, 30, and Seahawks offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates were together with the Jets in 2005. Baker averaged a career-high 14.9 yards per catch that season. He caught 14 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns with New England last season. The Patriots terminated his contract.

The Seahawks also showed interest in former Patriots tight end Ben Watson, but he signed with Cleveland instead. This deal with Baker made Seattle the latest NFC West team to seek depth at tight end. The Rams brought back Daniel Fells. The Cardinals brought back Anthony Becht and Stephen Spach. The 49ers visited with Becht.

Scouts Inc. on Baker: Baker is a short, thickly built tight end who isn't a powerful blocker at the point of attack, but has enough athleticism to be an effective target in the passing game. He has good foot agility, quickness and balance to be an effective short and intermediate route-runner. He has improved as a route-runner by using his body to get separation. He has good, reliable hands to extend and make receptions away from his body. Baker doesn't have great burst or speed to stretch deep seams and he can be a liability as a run-blocker at the point of attack or anchoring versus bull rushers off the edge. He has developed into a solid football player, but is somewhat one-dimensional because he is primarily used as a receiving tight end and wall-off type blocker.

It's possible the Seahawks disagree with that assessment. If not, the team is getting another receiving tight end to go with John Carlson. John Owens, Cameron Morrah and Jason Pociask are also on the roster at tight end for Seattle.

Wednesday was apparently John Carlson day at Seahawks headquarters.

The talented second-year tight end hasn't caught many passes lately, leading to quite a few stories (1, 2, 3, 4) investigating why.

Unlike his 49ers counterpart, Vernon Davis, Carlson is not an every-down player for Seattle. The team used personnel groups without any tight ends on a season-high 23.9 percent of snaps against the 49ers in Week 13. I noticed John Owens as the only tight end for a couple snaps from the one-back, three-receiver grouping. Overall, the Seahawks have used no tight end for 9.5 percent of snaps this season.

There were a couple of plays when 49ers linebackers Parys Haralson and Manny Lawson threw aside Carlson in the running game. That will sometimes happen to a receiving-oriented tight end. Carlson can be a very good receiver. I suspect the Seahawks' pass protection isn't reliable enough for the team to find Carlson open on longer pass routes. There are other times when Carlson isn't available because he is helping in protection.

The Seahawks' improved depth at wide receiver also makes him less prominent in the offense relative to last season. I don't think there's anything alarming about Carlson's play to this point. Like his teammates, he would benefit from having an improved offensive line.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The rapport between Matt Hasselbeck and T.J. Houshmandzadeh spans first and second down, apparently.

The charts, produced by Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information, break down Hasselbeck's passer ratings by receiver and situation. The first chart isolates first and second downs, where targeting Houshmandzadeh -- and quite a few others -- has paid off nicely for the veteran quarterback.

Matt Hasselbeck's passer rating differential by receiver on first and second downs Receiver Times targeted Passer Rating Rating to other receivers Differential T.J. Houshmandzadeh 26 108.3 91.0 +17.3 Justin Forsett 2 110.4 94.4 +16.0 John Carlson 20 106.0 92.7 +13.4 Nate Burleson 27 104.6 92.0 +12.5 Justin Griffith 5 104.2 93.4 +10.7 Edgerrin James 1 95.8 94.9 +0.9 Julius Jones 7 95.2 94.6 +0.6 Seneca Wallace 2 93.8 95.1 -1.3 Owen Schmitt 1 79.2 95.0 -15.9 Deion Branch 10 60.4 98.5 -38.1 Deon Butler 3 50.7 96.3 -45.6 John Owens 3 39.6 97.6 -58.1

The second chart isolates third down. Hasselbeck's rating when throwing to Houshmandzadeh drops from 108.3 on early downs to 39.6 on third down. His rating when throwing to Houshmandzadeh on third down also lags dramatically relative to his third-down rating when targeting other Seattle players. Perhaps defenses pay special attention to Houshmandzadeh on third down. The pass Arizona's Antrel Rolle picked off against Hasselbeck -- the one when Houshmandzadeh waved at the ball as it sailed too long -- came on third down.

Matt Hasselbeck's passer rating differential by receiver on third down Receiver Times targeted Passer Rating Rating to other receivers Differential Deion Branch 4 112.5 55.3 +57.2 Ben Obomanu 1 112.5 63.5 +49.0 John Carlson 6 97.2 59.7 +37.5 Nate Burleson 12 91.0 54.5 +36.4 Edgerrin James 1 91.7 64.1 +27.6 Deon Butler 2 58.3 65.5 -7.2 Justin Forsett 3 52.1 66.2 -14.1 Justin Griffith 1 39.6 66.8 -27.2 T.J. Houshmandzadeh 9 39.6 88.2 -51.6

Deion Branch probably hasn't played enough to analyze across these situations, but if Hasselbeck or anyone else needs to know where to find him, Branch has proved willing to help.

	Nick Laham/Getty Images
	The Rams are averaging 13 fewer offensive snaps per game this season, making it tougher for Steven Jackson to get touches.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Jon writes via Facebook: Sando ... pretend you're the coach. What moves/changes do YOU make for each NFC West team this week in order to better give yourself a chance of winning? No trading for Peyton Manning or drugging the other teams' Gatorade, though. I would love to hear your insight. Even if it is just what packages you'd roll out more or less often based on your statistical analysis stuff you do.

Mike Sando: Fun idea. I'm sure NFC West coaches will pay close, close attention. OK, I'll give you one thing I'd be curious to see from each team.

• Arizona: Start Beanie Wells at halfback and run him from three-receiver personnel with one tight end. Throw the ball to set up the pass. Trust Wells with the football and see what happens. See if you can dictate better matchups for the receivers down the field. Watch University of Phoenix Stadium rock if Wells breaks a long one. On defense, get creative with Adrian Wilson and see if he can get a free shot on Peyton Manning. Few quarterbacks in NFL history have been as durable. Few defensive backs can put the hurt on a quarterback the way Wilson can. It's worth a shot.
• San Francisco: Put Vernon Davis on Jared Allen's side and pound the football. Occasionally run the ball from three-receiver personnel on early downs. The Lions had some success doing this against the Vikings in Week 2. San Francisco has done this exactly twice in two games, and one of those runs was to end the half against Seattle. On defense, make sure Parys Haralson gets plenty of work against Vikings right tackle Phil Loadholt, a big guy vulnerable to speed rushers.
• Seattle: Forget some of the stuff with two tight ends. Work Deion Branch into the offense instead of John Owens and keep him on the field if his conditioning is good and he's catching the ball consisently. Spread out the Bears a little and use Seneca Wallace's speed to put stress on the defense. Move the pocket. Differentiate this offensive staff from Seattle's previous one by unleashing a game plan tailored to what Wallace does best. On defense, play it safe and see if Jay Cutler makes mistakes. Do not take huge risks because Cutler has the ability to make big plays with his arm.
• St. Louis: Make sure Steven Jackson touches the ball more. The Rams have tried to get creative by lining up Jackson as a wide receiver and throwing to him quickly. The results have been underwhelming. Perhaps the offense isn't far enough along for that. I wouldn't abandon that tactic entirely, but it's time to make sure Jackson gets more carries. Give the ball to him enough and he'll break long runs. On defense, make sure James Hall gets several cracks at the Packers' backup left tackle. Hall is not a great pass rusher at this stage, but he's one of the Rams' better ones.

I have not watched the Bears or Packers enough to have a great feel for them. I did watch some of the Vikings-Lions game Saturday night in the hotel.

Seattle Personnel Use in Week 2, minus QB sacks/scrambles Carries Yards Per Carry Pass Attempts Yards Per Attempt 0 TE 1 8.0 1 0.0 1 TE 11 3.9 33 6.6 2 TE 5 1.0 7 0.9 Totals 17 3.3 41 5.5

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Those watching the 49ers defeat the Seahawks in Week 2 might have noticed Seattle tight end John Owens dropping passes on first-half drives that later stalled. I counted four drops on the Seahawks' first 12 pass plays, including two by Owens.

Why would the Seahawks be targeting Owens, a blocker by reputation, when they have so many other superior options? The 49ers' defense forced some of the decision making, but I also think the Seahawks could have better options at receiver once Deion Branch returns from injury in Week 3.

The chart shows what I noticed when analyzing the Seahawks' production across personnel groups. The team was less productive rushing and passing when Owens joined John Carlson as part of the team's packages with two tight ends. That's not solely a reflection of Owens or the personnel grouping -- down and distances matter, too -- but the Seahawks might be better off working Branch into the offense at the expense of the second tight end.

Seattle used two tight ends about a third of the time on its first 25 snaps and about half the time on its first dozen plays of the second half. The team was in hurry-up mode with one back, three wide receivers and one tight end the rest of the time.

• For download: This file shows the Seahawks' offensive production across personnel groups in Week 2, with a play-by-play notes on a separate sheet. I do not count aborted plays. Quarterback scrambles do not count in my rushing stats.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Among the things I'll be watching to see when the Seahawks close their 2009 exhibition schedule Thursday night against the Raiders at Qwest Field:

• Edgerrin James. The veteran running back might not play. If he does, it won't be for long, but something is better than nothing -- particularly in Week 4 of the preseason.
• All-out battle at receiver. The Seahawks might keep only five. Strong showings by Courtney Taylor, Ben Obomanu and Jordan Kent could convince them to keep six. Which ones? Check back after the game. Also watch to see how they fare on special teams (Taylor could return kicks).
• Cameron Morrah. The rookie seventh-round tight end would have to beat out Joe Newton to earn a roster spot at tight end behind John Carlson and John Owens.
• Michael Bennett. The Seahawks already have defensive ends with the ability to play tackle on passing downs. That could complicate Bennett's efforts to earn a spot among the initial 53, but he has impressed enough to stick on the practice squad if there isn't a spot for him on the roster. Defensive end Nick Reed appears in strong position to earn a spot. Update: Draft analyst Rob Rang explains why he thinks Bennett has more NFL upside and potentially more value. Audio via KJR950 Seattle here.
• Brandon Coutu. The second-year kicker has been very accurate on field goals. Veteran Olindo Mare's depth advantage on kickoffs helps his cause, but touchbacks could carry less value if the new NFL ban on three-man wedges shortens kickoff returns.

NFL Network is showing this game live at 10 p.m. ET.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Seahawks Offensive Player vs. KC Pos. 1st Qtr. Snaps 2nd Qtr. Snaps Total Matt Hasselbeck QB 11 23 34 Sean Locklear LT 11 23 34 Rob Sims LG 11 23 34 Steve Vallos C 11 23 34 Max Unger RG 11 23 34 Ray Willis RT 11 23 34 Nate Burleson WR 11 22 33 John Carlson TE 9 21 30 T.J. Houshmandzadeh WR 11 19 30 Julius Jones RB 11 17 28 Deion Branch WR 4 12 16 John Owens TE 4 8 12 Justin Griffith FB 1 8 9 Justin Forsett RB 0 6 6 Owen Schmitt FB 3 0 3 Deon Butler WR 1 1 2 Courtney Taylor WR 0 1 1

So much for featuring Deion Branch in the passing game.

The Seahawks went with heavier personnel early in their exhibition game against the Chiefs, giving as many first-quarter snaps to John Owens, the second tight end, as they gave to Branch.

What does it mean? Not necessarily much. As Dave Wyman noted via Seahawks play-by-play man Steve Raible, Branch is expected to be part of the 53-man roster.

The snaps at fullback seemed telling. Owen Schmitt has been listed as the starter, but veteran Justin Griffith drew three times as many snaps in the first half (9 to 3). That included an 8-0 snaps advantage in the second quarter.

I thought the running game was better with Griffith, although three snaps for Schmitt was hardly enough for definitive analysis.

Also worth noting: Courtney Taylor, not Ben Obomanu, was one of five receivers to work with the starters in the first half. Fourth receiver Deon Butler played only two first-half snaps, a reflection of the Seahawks' run-oriented personnel groupings. That is also how the second tight end, Owens, pulled only four fewer snaps than the third receiver.

Mike Holmgren is no longer running the offense, in other words. This is Greg Knapp's show.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Seahawks have a few tough decisions to make before reducing their roster to 53 players in less than three weeks.

The final spot or two at receiver remain unsettled. I see at least 10 defensive linemen worth keeping, but perhaps no more than eight offensive linemen. The final spots at all three general positions on defense -- line, linebackers and secondary -- could spur debate.

• Earlier: Rams, Cardinals, 49ers
  

The Seahawks aren't even certain which kicker will earn a roster spot, opening possible trade scenarios for teams with needs at the position.

Seattle Seahawks Week 1 Roster Counts since 2003 QB RB WR TE OL DL LB DB ST Fewest 2 5 4 3 8 8 6 7 3 Most 3 6 7 4 9 10 8 8 4 Average 2.8 5.3 5.3 3.2 8.8 9.3 7.0 7.8 3.2 Currently on roster 4 8 10 5 14 13 9 13 4

The chart provides a framework for how many players the Seahawks might keep at each position heading into the regular-season opener against the Rams.

Here's a quick look at which Seahawks players I might keep on the cutdown to 53 players:

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Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

RENTON, Wash. -- The Seahawks recently finished an extended practice session before fans at their facility on Lake Washington. A few notes and observations:

• Rookie receiver Deon Butler faked out cornerback Travis Fisher to the outside before making an easy catch on a slant.
• Veteran receiver Nate Burleson appears recovered from the ACL sugery he underwent less than a year ago. He moves well and doesn't appear hesitant when he cuts.
  
• Fullback Owen Schmitt had problems in pass-protection drills. He did not move quick enough laterally to make the block on the two plays I saw. Safeties Jamar Adams and C.J. Wallace beat him convincingly.
• Wallace picked off a Matt Hasselbeck pass intended for T.J. Houshmandzadeh. What seemed like a horrible lack of rapport between quarterback and receiver was actually a case of Houshmandzadeh being blinded by sun. Houshmandzadeh said he's still earning Hasselbeck's trust.
• I thought rookie tight end Cameron Morrah caught the ball very well, but my assessment was flawed. Morrah is wearing the No. 43 worn previously by fullback Leonard Weaver. I kept thinking Morrah's receiving skills were exceptional for a fullback. Morrah did beat safety Brian Russell in coverage.
• Russell continues to take the first-team reps at safety, ahead of Jordan Babineaux.
  
• Backup running back Justin Forsett caught a deep pass up the left sideline with Leroy Hill in coverage. Very nice play for a running back that far downfield. Later, Forsett dropped the ball on a screen pass in the backfield.
• Positive reports about new defensive end Cory Redding appear justified. He was a nightmare for offensive linemen in the pass-rush drills. Redding's weight is down, he appears healthy and he plays violently, as teammate Patrick Kerney put it. I gave Redding the edge in all three matchups against Mansfield Wrotto in pass-rush drills. He also pushed back tight end John Owens' head to make a positive play against the run in team drills.
• Overall, the Seahawks have the potential to be much bigger up front with Redding at left defensive end, Colin Cole on the nose, Brandon Mebane at right defensive tackle and Kerney on the right side. Kerney is bigger, too, but he'll cut weight as the season gets going. The Seahawks are limiting him in camp to avoid injuries.
• Left tackle Walter Jones appeared stiff while walking toward the field before practice. He hasn't practiced since suffering back spasms on the first day of camp.
  
• Second-year defensive end Lawrence Jackson had success rushing the passer against guards in the one-on-one pass-rush drills. He bull-rushed rookie Max Unger successfully on one play, then beat starter Rob Sims. Jackson also beat tackle Kyle Williams with an inside move.
• Darryl Tapp blew past Ray Willis for a would-be sack. Tapp is having a good camp, according to Kerney.
• The Seahawks are working on game situations earlier than in past seasons. That included a hook-and-lateral play featuring Houshmandzadeh tossing to Burleson. It's unlikely Seattle will use that play, Houshmandzadeh said, but if needed, they've practiced it.

Those are a few of the things I noticed out there Thursday. I'll share more from my conversation with Kerney in future entries. Seattle practices at 8:30 a.m. Friday and I plan to be there for that one as well.